ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. toast — bread
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cap — a lid
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. cap — a hat
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ground — a position
  21. spell — letters
  22. kick — in football
  23. ground — the earth
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com